In The End
by learnthingsbyheart
Summary: Or, five opinions Jane Bennet has about William Darcy during their acquaintance and the one she keeps in the end. Because I'm waiting for Jane/Darcy friendship to happen. Lizzie Bennet Diaries. (Also, first story, not a native-speaker. Feel free to criticize.)


1. She's probably the first one to think well of him, at the Gibson wedding. He spends the whole evening 'lurking' in the corner, as Lizzie says, but as Bing twirls her around, the only thing she catches is a brief image of a lonely face.

During their stay at Netherfield that impression only gets stronger with time. She watches his awkward conversations with her sister. And that's the point, she thinks, as Lizzie and Darcy discuss Tolstoy; he's _awkward_, but certainly not _malicious_.

2. A few months later – she is in LA and still a bit hung up about Bing – she manages to watch Lizzie's latest videos. Fitz and Lizzie packing her care package, Fitz and Lizzie answering questions, Fitz and Lizzie talking about Darcy. And her and Bing. (She is angry and disappointed, at him for breaking them up, at Bing, for being so easily persuaded and at herself, for trusting both of them.)

She decides to watch the next videos as well, when she sees Darcy in two of them. She's kind of satisfied as Lizzie turns him down – he'd made Bing turn _her_ down, too, after all – but ashamed the next second. Because after all that he's done, the pain of being rejected is still too fresh in her mind (and her heart) to even consider wishing that upon him. If she wasn't so upset, she probably wouldn't have thought about it at all.

3. When she sees Lizzie on Thanksgiving, they talk about what's happened. She expects Lizzie to bash Darcy, but she seems more thought- than resentful. She asks her what the letter says, of course, but gets no concrete answer, just some pretty vague stuff. She trusts her sister, though, and so any resent that she _might have had_ disappears.

4. When Lizzie calls her, she panics and hurries home. She feels a little better when they see each other, at home, finally. Anxiety is always slighter with your sister by your side. Especially if the drama revolves around your other, even younger sister. When she sees Lydia though, she panics more. Because she's actually involved in this. They manage to talk her out of this, but Wickham's the one who controls that website. They beg him to take it down. (Well, she does, with Lydia and Lizzie threatening is more like it.) But he wants money. Lots of money, money they don't have. The countdown will only last for a few hours more, when the site and the YouTube account disappear, as well as Wickham. Relieved doesn't quite cut it for her and Lizzie. Lydia however is more than heartbroken and has something of a breakdown. They all start to cry at that point, but after that, everything gets a little brighter.

She's not exactly surprised when Lizzie tells her that Darcy's had a hand in dealing with Wickham. She had assumed that, after seeing Lydia try to change the subject when Darcy came up every single time. She has also seen all of Lizzie's videos by now. It's more than obvious he's still got feelings for her sister and will do anything to make her happy. At that point he rises in her esteem not only because of his help, but also because of the constancy of his feelings. They must be something very special to survive that debacle at Collins&Collins. And anybody who appreciates her little sister's intelligence, caring personality, even her humor (after_ ridiculing _him with it)_, _has to posses some common sense and a good heart in her opinion.

5. Two months later, she and Bing are together (again?) and very happy, spending most of their time in LA with each other. They've sorted out most of their problems and Jane thinks that maybe, just maybe, true love really does exist. Lizzie comes from San Francisco to visit for a weekend, 'making sure he's treating you ridiculously well!'.

To her huge surprise (well, not so much) Darcy comes to dinner Saturday evening, too. She knows they spend time together, as Lizzie is doing a second internship at Pemberley.

But she can't really place his and Lizzie's relationship until she hears them whispering in the hallway.

She can't recall _anyone_ calling Darcy 'Will' in the entire time she's known him. And she's never seen him being kissed by her baby sister either (which, by the way, is the moment she decides to subtly duck into the kitchen again).

One thing does surprise her, though: Another month later, as the entire family knows about Lizzie's and Darcy's (William's?) relationship, he comes to visit her in LA without Lizzie.

She invites him in and is generally pleased to see him, if perhaps a bit confused.

He starts talking after two semi-uncomfortable minutes. After his little speech, she's got the wish to hug him. He's come to apologize for doubting her personality, for interfering and for the pain he's caused her. When she tells him that he's been forgiven around the time of THE SEXTAPE DRAMA at latest, he smiles at her. Genuinely. That is the moment she tells past-Lizzie 'I told you so!' in her head. It's also the moment she and William Darcy become friends.

5.2. 'As much as I love my nephew, Jane, I'm pretty sure _I_ would be slamming my head against the wall by now.'

Jane laughs. She can picture that pretty well. Neither Bing nor Lizzie possesses the patience to play that game longer than five minutes.

'Seriously. That man's got nerves like steel. That battle of wills has been going on for over half an hour now. I'm not even sure which of them will give in first. Is that the way it's going to end with him? Playing –'

Her sister gets interrupted at that point. Her brother in law's talking with his hands over his eyes. 'Lizzie. I'm playing peek-a-boo with a toddler. Don't _dramatize_ it.'

As expected, the reference gets to her. 'Well, now that you mention it, I'm actually more surprised that you're sitting on the ground. _It's so uncivilized_!'

Jane doesn't want to tease him. It's sweet of him to take over. (She loves her son, but yesterday she's played that game for four hours. She's grateful for a break.)

But even she can't help but laugh as Darcy mumbles 'touché' under his breath, hands still over his eyes.

In the evening, when she sits down next to William (now seated on a much more dignified chair), Jane smiles. Lizzie and Bing are laughing about something, her son is sleeping upstairs. Her attention is drawn to the small bump on her sister's belly once again. She wonders when they'll tell everyone, but doesn't mind the wait. After her own pregnancy, she empathizes with their wish to keep it secret for as long as possible. Because their mother… Well, she does only want what's best for them. And for her self-predicted 7.5 grandbabies.

In general, though, life's good.

Darcy looks up, meets her eyes and returns the smile.


End file.
